Visual & Verbal Palettes

Quick, what do you see?
Rabbit? Duck?

About 50% usually see duck and the other 50% see rabbit.
While you can make yourself see the other...
close your eyes, open them, you’ll default to what you saw the first time.

So if a simple, black & white line drawing can have two so
dissimilar meanings...

How many meanings can this have...

we need to decode the
consumer’s visual & verbal
language BEFORE we begin creating
ads versus testing AFTER

discovery versus confirmation research
listen and probe format
non-linear insight derived from 2-step process
combines story telling, mind-mapping and picture sorts
into one approach

our team interviewed 20 consumers to understand the key
concepts that consumers associate with vacations and
vacationing. our interviews yielded distinct imagery and
language common to several themes - relaxation and
escape among them. the team then isolated and explored
these two concepts as they relate to the consumer
experience. the following slides show the process of
developing a visual & verbal palette supporting
communication relevant to relaxation and escape.

“take a minute and write down every word, concept or idea
that comes to mind when you see this word...
relaxation

escape
“take a minute and write down every word, concept or idea
that comes to mind when you see this word...

“pick all the photos that link to RELAX...
now do the same for ESCAPE...

chime
alone
reading breathing zen
sitting
television
sleep
breeze disconnect
summer
calm
mindless
hammock veg out
soothing
still
relaxation
bells
daydream
floating
cotton
trance solitude swimming
comfort
vista white noise massage
white soft music
release ocean
rain
peace harmony

care
adolescence
fly
confinement
release
freedom
enclosure
prisoner
reality island
run cubicle
shackles
escape boredom
hands tied
travel
work
pressure
responsibility
kids
break loose getaway
drugs
decisions
worry
alcohol jail
breakaway

reality
escaping: decisions
confinement
pressure
responsibility
Escape vacation is about running away from...
Relaxing vacation is about running to something...
freedom
quiet
relaxing: calm
massage
still

Motivations for Escaping
go back one life-point
freedom/control
escape from responsibility
be who I am, not forced to play a role

Motivations for Escaping
while core motivations are the same,
the visual & verbal language is anything but...
difference between the language for those with and
those without children

30s: dual income, no kids.

No boss, no clients, no “do this, do that”. Just a chance to do what I
want, when I want – to regain a sense of control. A chance to blow off
steam. Throw down. Act like I’m in college. ‘Spring break Carla’
comes out. A release from the pressure of work, of being an adult, of
growing up. To be irresponsible if I want. A chance to do things I’ve
never done, have experiences I haven’t had. Freedom. Free to be the
person I am, not the person I have to be. Hang with friends. Meet new
people. See new places. The cube will still be there on Monday.
language

escaping

images

30s: dual income, with kids.

No kids. Me time. Just my husband and me – like it used to be,
before all the responsibility. A release from all the pressure, the
routine, the feeling of being a slave to my kids, my calendar and my
job. A chance to do the simple things – read the morning paper, a
peaceful cup of coffee, an uninterrupted conversation. A chance to
just lay in bed with my wife – we don’t even have to talk… just enjoy
each other and the quiet. No schedule to follow. Be where I want,
when I want. The freedom to do something or nothing – doesn’t
matter… whatever feels right at the moment. I don’t have to be a
parent, I don’t have to behave! I can just be me.
language

escaping

images

Motivations for Escaping
go back one life-point
freedom/control
escape from responsibility
be who I am, not forced to play a role

Uses for Visual & Verbal Palettes
advertising development
reality check
reduce/eliminate need/cost of creative testing
input for PR messaging content
segmentation strategy development
pre-design of product or service
sales presentation development

Make A Difference. Do Great Work. Earn a Profit. Have Fun.
Tom Mar t i n | h e l pmybran d. com | 504- 558- 7778